I voted for Tits McGee because it simply tries too hard. The Prisoner, on the other hand, is actually art.

Thanks for the note. You may be right. I’m not fully convinced it’s a fake, but as you say we should ascertain if it is indeed genuine before crowning it a winner.

Incidentally, I got the photo from a post by Tom Wark over at Fermentation where he commented on the sale of the brand. You’ll see the original Secret Reserve Label there as well (link below). Both have black curtains in the background, but the label I submitted has different coloring on the border (more gray than black) and lacks the full bleed picture style of the original.

http://fermentation.typepad.com/fermentation/2006/03/boobs_and_a_bra.html

Certainly suspicious. The only way to find out for sure would be to contact the Connors I suppose. I’ll ask Tyler that it be pulled if and until I can get a definitive.

Thanks again,

Josh

I seriously question whether the label shown is a real label. It looks like someone has cut and pasted a picture of a woman in a stars & stripe bikini over the original label. The curtain drapes in the background do not match with any of the other labels in the series — and I have the original of the 2000 vintage Secret Reserve — which was a Conners wine and it has a completely different picture* featuring the model who was used on all of his wines released at that time — see http://www.winelabels.org/labels16.htm#cleavage.

Before you go proclaiming this as a winner, I suggest you check its legitimacy. I reckon someone photoshopped his girlfriend onto the image.

Tex Zin — I think the image you have was sourced from my website — that label* lasted just one vintage. It wasn’t the name that caused the label to be controversial, its the suggestive folds of the middle childs picture.

*that label is in my book

And this is a bad “label” contest so the Zeller Cats should not even have been included, as they don’t even HAVE a label. I have a blue one in my collection and the Riesling wasn’t even that bad!

That wrinkle was added by Budge Brown after he bought CC in 05.

Before Budge Brown bought the winery in 05, the brand was owned by Jeff and Barbara Conners. They were home winemakers from Sonoma turned wine marketers and brand owners who hoped the bottles would become collectors items like the well-known Marilyn Merlot brand.

Here’s a quote from Jeff on the label design:

“We wanted a label that was eye-catching and would stand out. If you look at wine labels from 20 feet away, they all kind of blend together on the shelf.”

The back label read in part (from W&V the article linked to below):

“Cleavage Creek grapes are grown in the cleavage of some of the most beautiful California hills.” The wine is described as “full bodied yet vivacious” with “soft but firm fruit flavors that will seduce the palate.”

While it’s true the Connors also donated 10% to breast cancer research, their models were much more scantily clad, and their motives arguably much less pure than Budge Brown’s, who has done a terrific (and authentic job) of rehabbing the brand.

In short, Cleavage Creek under the Connors was a pure marketing play, with a payoff to a charity for PR cover. Thus, in my opinion, it’s fair game for the worst label contest.

Here’s an article from 2004 Wines and Vine discussing the labels and their propriety.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3488/is_2_85/ai_113651047

Hopefully you’ll conclude that my submission wasn’t malicious in intent (this is supposed to be fun!), and I certainly hope none of you blame Tyler (AKA Dr. Vino), who had no idea whatsoever about the behind the scenes machinations of the brand.

Feel free to email me at josh@pinotblogger.com with any comments or concerns.

-Josh